Scenario, Summer of 2005:
I went to Washington, D.C. (U.S. Capitol, for people who don't know xD) after I graduate from 6th grade for a leadership conference, also known as JrNYLC (Junoir National Young Leaders Conference). I was nominated by my teacher, and ended up being the only person to go, of the 5 who were nominated. It's a ten-day thing where you get to see the nation's capitol, go sight-seeing, make new friends, etc., etc., etc. and experience what it would be like to be a leader of the nation.

So I get a letter in the mail yesterday, and it says that as an alumni of JrNYLC...

I GET TO GO TO WASHINGTON, D.C., IN JANUARY 2009 TO EXPERIENCE FIRSTHAND THE INAUGURATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

This is massive!!!!!!!!!!!! So I'm jumping up and down around the house, trying to get my bearings, realizing how big of an experience this will be, that I'll probably welcome the first African-American or female president of the U.S. into the White House and... yeah. It's still sinking in. I'm sure I'll get waywaywaywayway more excited when we actually figure out who the president actually is going to be in November.

It's a five-day thing that ends with a huge Black Tie Affair Inaugural Gala Ball, which is probably the most exciting part. The guys have to wear tuxedos!!! And the girls have to wear evening dresses. Weight loss, here I come!!!! (After Easter, of course. )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On another note, I am going to the Museum of Tolerance on Monday. It's a museum in L.A. that remembers the victims of the Holocaust. I don't think I'll be able to take my camera, because a.) It's a massive peice of equipment, b.) I left my telephoto at a friend's house, which in and of itself is $250, so I'm in pretty deep trouble there, and c.) Just out of respect for the ones who died during this horrible time period. In the words of my History teacher, "As historians, we look at history and realize that it happens to people, just like you and I. It is not restricted to others, it happens to us, our families, our neighbors, our partners, our defenders. Our job is to never forget what happens, no matter what.

I was watching a documentary on Hitler the other day, and I don't remember what it was called but... I almost started to cry. Literally. And the kind of person who doesn't do that very often. I saw Hitler walking past his armies, all lined up in rows... then that shot followed to individual facial shots of the soldiers in the front lines. Each one was silently following him with their eyes, but what made me emotional was just how much loving admiration each soldier held in his eyes. I weas thinking, how could these men pledge their lives and sacred honor to such a tyrannical man?? It was undescribable how many emotions were running through me at that moment, I can't even being to name them all. Their number is just as many words that can be used to describe the love that I saw on that soldier's face. It was far beyond admiration. Each one looked at Hitler and said: I will die for you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a brighter note that that, I'm going on an Alaska Cruise this summer! I hope I'll have my lens back by then so I'll actually get some shots. It'll be awesome! I think it's a week-long thing, and I'm actually looking forward to it most right now, more than anything. It'll be a great end-of-my-schoolyear celebration... We're going because my grandparents are celebrating their 50th anniversary and my parents are celebrating their 20th. It's gonna be fun!